NetEase Games has committed to introducing at least one new Marvel Rivals hero every half-season, yet that hasn't deterred one innovative fan from bringing their vision of a playable Doctor Octopus to fruition.
Reddit user WickedCube recently captivated the r/MarvelRivals community with a 30-second video showcasing what appears to be rudimentary gameplay from NetEase’s popular hero shooter. At first glance, the footage might seem to depict a pre-Hulk Bruce Banner suspended in midair within a testing room. However, Marvel aficionados will quickly recognize this eight-armed figure as an early, Marvel Rivals-inspired rendition of the iconic Spider-Man villain, Doctor Octopus.
We need more vanguards, so i made one (Doctor Octopus)
byu/Wickedcube inmarvelrivals
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }Though the animation is somewhat stiff and quirky, the resemblance is unmistakable. With a closer look, you can appreciate a thoughtfully crafted concept of what Doc Ock might look and move like if NetEase were to introduce Otto Octavius into Marvel Rivals. WickedCube's version allows the character to "fly" by magnetizing to and navigating around obstacles, a crucial feature in a game with destructible environments. The concept even includes specific abilities like Havoc Claw for melee attacks and Wrecking Grip for ranged moves. Garnering 16,000 upvotes by the time of this article's publication, this impressive, playable concept was crafted entirely by one individual.
“Doc Ock has always been one of the coolest villains in Spider-Man, and his tentacles would be a challenge to implement,” WickedCube shared, revealing his inspiration. “As far as I know, they haven't been fully implemented with playable 3D movement in a game before.”
Motivated by the inability to play during a recent PSN outage, WickedCube, an indie game developer from India, decided to take matters into his own hands. Previously associated with Space Engineers' Keen Software House, he left in January 2024 to focus on his projects. While usually not prioritizing character work, the challenge of creating a controllable version of Doctor Octopus in Unity spurred him on. The idea was further fueled by some striking Doc Ock fan art he stumbled upon while browsing Twitter.
Doctor Octopus in the style of Marvel Rivals
.#MarvelRivals #MarvelRivalsfanart pic.twitter.com/d3XHXMZsCL— CoryHarris.jpg (@LordDepis) January 26, 2025
The response to WickedCube's creation has been overwhelmingly positive, with thousands of fans expressing their appreciation and some even urging NetEase to incorporate his ideas into the game. He finds the reception "incredibly rewarding" and would be thrilled if NetEase adopted some of his concepts for an official Doc Ock character. Although he doesn't plan to refine the design further, he aims to release a playable version soon.
“Following the feedback on Reddit, I plan to share this and future concepts through a YouTube tutorial series,” WickedCube added. “I also intend to open-source the code on GitHub and make the playable versions available on Itch.”
NetEase is set to roll out two new official characters this Friday: the Human Torch and The Thing, following their Fantastic Four teammates, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, who were introduced early last month. This robust launch sets a strong pace against competitors, yet fans continue to look to Marvel's vast universe for more heroes and villains to join the fray.
WickedCube's project was inspired by the community's call for more Vanguard, or tank-like, characters. While rumors of Otto's inclusion remain unconfirmed, the designer is already brainstorming other potential heroes, including X-Men favorites Nightcrawler and Professor Xavier.“The character roster at launch is substantial enough to keep the game engaging for a long time, and the promised rate of new character releases is astounding,” he noted. “The designers clearly know how to craft a fun game, which is the toughest part to master.”
Marvel Rivals is set to roll out its Season 1 mid-season update on February 21, which will include the new character releases, balance changes, and gameplay tweaks. In the meantime, you can learn more about recent layoffs at NetEase’s Seattle branch and why the studio isn't addressing rumors about planted hero leaks.
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